Traditionally, a good education always included a substantial dose of classic literature. Students became familiar with the wisest and most beautiful things ever put down in writing—vital contact with their cultural heritage that expressed through art the heights and depths of the human condition.
The reading of good fiction and poetry was considered essential to the development of the full human person and the extension of all the powers of mind and heart along wholesome avenues. Literature opens the eyes to see and the heart to embrace the good, the true, and the beautiful.
What William Wordsworth said of poetry in his “Preface to Lyrical Ballads“ applies equally to all great literature (including novels): ”Its object is truth. Not individual and local, but general ... carried alive into the heart by passion. ... It is an acknowledgement of the beauty of the universe.”
And if that’s not enough, great literature is also just delightful and entertaining.
Yet many people, especially youth, deny themselves the joy, inspiration, and enlightenment that great fiction can bring. A 2018 study by researchers at San Diego State University found that one-third of teenagers polled hadn’t read a book for pleasure during that entire year. Teens simply don’t read as much as they used to. Often, novels—especially classic ones—are considered boring and difficult, largely because younger readers haven’t acquired a taste for fiction in an era that constantly bombards them with the overstimulation of the mental and emotional palate via social media, TV, and video games.
Here, then, is a list of novels to help readers of all ages, but especially teenagers, start to develop a taste for great literature. The list moves roughly from “easiest” and “most accessible” to “most challenging.”
“A gun is as good—and as bad—as the man who carries it.”
The novel “Shane“ by Jack Schaefer is as graceful, slim, powerful, and mysterious as its titular character. In its brief pages, one lives out the American past on our frontier. Beautifully narrated from the point of view of 11-year-old Bob Starrett, ”Shane“ tells of the conflict between ranchers and homesteaders in 1889 Wyoming, into which an enigmatic stranger wanders, calling himself ”Shane.”
Shane teams up with Bob’s father, Joe, first to improve and cultivate Joe’s homestead, then to take on the aggressive ranchers. Although he’s always courteous and quiet, everyone can sense that Shane is a force to be reckoned with, and it will take a man of his caliber to bring peace to the region.
The West and the longings it stirs within us are such a part of our culture and history, and so potentially appealing to young readers, that I had to include a Western on this list. In addition, the exciting action and quick read time will appeal to teenagers, especially boys. Above all, Shane gives a glimpse at traditional masculinity as well as what a true, honorable friendship between good men can be. That’s something young men of today could benefit from.
‘The Lantern Bearers’ by Rosemary Sutcliff
"The Lantern Bearers" by Rosemary Sutcliff.
“We are the lantern bearers, my friend; for us to keep something burning, to carry what light we can forward into the darkness and the wind.”
Despite winning the Carnegie Medal in children’s literature in 1959, this novel from the British historical fiction writer Rosemary Sutcliff receives less attention than it deserves. In fewer than 250 pages, Sutcliff paints in vivid colors the bulk of a man’s lifetime—from being a youth to being the father of a youth.
Set in the dark and tumultuous time following the Roman evacuation from Britain, “The Lantern Bearers” tells of a Roman legionnaire who has stayed behind with his family, only to see everything he loves swept away by a Saxon invasion.
Though the historical backdrop is convincing and exciting, dark and enchanting, the tale is told for all time, and the struggles of young Aquila will resonate with modern teens.
There are two lasting impressions left on one’s heart after reading this story. The first is that tragedy comes to all and life generally doesn’t work out—at least, not as we may have hoped. The second is that, somehow, it’s OK in the end and maybe even more beautiful than what we envisioned for ourselves when we were young.
‘My Antonia’ by Willa Cather
"My Antonia" by Willa Cather.
“More than any other person we remembered, this girl seemed to mean to us the country, the conditions, and the whole adventure of our childhood.”
“My Antonia“ isn’t the kind of book you remember. At least you don’t remember the plot (I can’t). And, to be honest, there’s not a lot of plot to remember anyway. What you do remember is much more than this: golden fields running on to kiss the horizon, ivory farmhouses atop waving prairie hills, picking vegetables under an autumn sun, Saturday night dances in the pavilion that last until midnight, the story about the wolves in the deep Russian forest, the mischievous eyes of the titular character, something of the pioneer spirit, and, above all, the general tableau of growing up. And you remember not just the growing up of the main characters in the book, but, somehow, through them, you see more clearly your own growing up.
The plot—to the degree that there is one—is this: The orphan Jim Burden is brought as a child to be a pioneer in Nebraska in the 1880s, where he meets the vivacious Antonia Shimerda. Their shared experiences shape them for life.
‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen
"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen.
“To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love.”
Though written in 1813, this novel is fairly accessible to contemporary readers. It’s a novel of manners that gives a glimpse into upper-class Regency England, its customs, expectations, and challenges. But more than that, it’s a profound study of human character, with unforgettable characters that include the lively Elizabeth (the novel’s heroine), the vexing Mrs. Bennet, the pompous Mr. Collins, the sly Mr. Wickham, and the brooding Mr. Darcy.
The novel has much to teach young readers (including boys—maybe especially them) about the relationship between the sexes, the dangers of misjudging others’ characters, and the importance of finding a good spouse—all subjects that are very much on the minds of teenagers, though maybe they wouldn’t put it that way.
In addition to her perceptive portraits of the human person, Austen is known for her shimmering wit. Her ironic style is quite funny once you get familiar with it.
‘David Copperfield’ by Charles Dickens
"David Copperfield" by Charles Dickens.
“Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.”
The most autobiographical of Dickens’s novels, this coming-of-age tale I can only describe as a golden book—golden in its wisdom, golden in its charm, and golden in the warmth and light it provides. It depicts all the fluctuations of life, from childhood to middle age, giving a broad view of the human condition and particularly the process of growing up. It captures the vicissitudes of life, where joy is swiftly exchanged for sorrow and sorrow for joy, yet with an undercurrent of hope running through them all. The characters are delightful, their personalities writ large, almost caricatures, yet somehow still deeply authentic. It mixes humor, joy, and sorrow in just the right proportions as we follow the progression of young David Copperfield’s life from infancy well into manhood.
As the opening line of the novel, quoted above, suggests, the story tells of heroism and villainy—not, perhaps, on the grand scale of a Greek epic or medieval romance, but the kind of heroism and villainy that we encounter and are capable of ourselves—in “ordinary” life. Without sermonizing, it reveals the errors to which youth are prone and how to recognize both heroism and treachery in others.
Though by far the longest title on this list, it’s well worth the time and effort—you basically gain much of the experience of becoming an adult without spending all the years or committing all the mistakes.
Walker Larson teaches literature at a private academy in Wisconsin, where he resides with his wife and daughter. He holds a master's in English literature and language, and his writing has appeared in The Hemingway Review, Intellectual Takeout, and his Substack, “TheHazelnut.” He is also the author of two novels, "Hologram" and "Song of Spheres."
